Food is any edible substance which can be consumed to provide required nutrition to the body. For the functioning of the body it needs all essential nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals. Consuming food is a basic and crucial part of human survival. It provides all the required sources and energy for active functioning of all the organs of the body, such as breathing, digesting, growing, repair of tissues and muscles and all other functions. There are different foods available which can be consumed for healthy growth and functioning of the body. Eating food is essential for the body to heal itself and prevent and fight against illnesses, infections etc by providing required vitamins, minerals and other substances to defend against them.
There are wide varieties of foods and some of them are beneficial while some are harmful. Eating healthy food can protect from many chronic illnesses such as heart diseases, cancer, diabetes and other harmful diseases. Eating a wide variety of foods which are full of nutrients and calories accordingly will help in achieving it.
Importance of healthy diet
Food is important for living healthily but what you eat also affects your health. Following a healthy diet routine which consists of planning meals that contains all the required nutrients and calories needed to be consumed on a daily basis accordingly will always be beneficial as it helps you in having a healthy active life. And being healthy is essential for leading a happy life. But there are some foods which need to be restrained from consuming to keep the body healthy or else the food you consume leads you to a life-threatening situation by harming your body.
There are a lot of healthy foods which provide an excellent source for your well being. Eating healthy foods gives a lot of benefits
- Active and energetic lifestyle
Body needs all the nutrients in the correct portions for healthy functioning of the body, and only a healthy diet will provide all the nutrients at the correct time and in the correct quantity. As the body gets all the required nutrients, then it will function properly and produce energy which can help you in having an active and energetic day. And also it prevents you from having any illnesses which restrict you from doing some daily activities or work. Thus you can perform well in your daily work and also feel active all day.
- Good brain health and memory
A healthy diet helps in better functioning of the body and also provides all the nutrients required to the brain as it also improves blood flow. This prevents the brain from having diseases like Alzheimer’s disease, Dementias. Brain Cancer and brain problems. Following a healthy diet regularly will help you in improving your brain functions and also help in improving your memory. A study also identified that nutrients and healthy foods consumption protect against dementia.
- Better concentration
Healthy food consumption helps in improving concentration and focuses which is essential for doing your daily work properly. Healthy food which includes flavonoids that help in activating enzymes that stimulate the flow of Oxygen and blood to the brain is essential for improving concentration. This will help in improving your memory as well as the ability to focus and learn new things.
- Better sleep
What you consume and the way you consume food will always affect your sleep. For better sleep, having a well-balanced diet which comprises vegetables, whole grain and low-fat proteins along with fresh fruits which are rich in b vitamins like fish, meat, egg etc. B vitamin is helpful in regulating a hormone called melatonin which regulates sleeping cycles. A good sleep is essential for good health, so having certain foods which help in having better sleep is beneficial. If you are having sleeping problems like insomnia, following a healthy diet will help in solving it.
- Improve bone and muscle health
Eating healthy food means it provides all the nutrients required for all the parts of the body that means it also includes nutrients like potassium, vitamin D and magnesium so on which are essential for bone health those nutrients handle absorption of calcium into the body bones. Protein helps in building muscles, which helps in keeping bones strong. Food like vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, whole grains and sea foods contains such nutrients which help in improving bone and muscle health. Vegetables help in increasing bone mineral density.
- Better mood
Healthy and balanced diet helps you in having a better mood because eating healthy food means you are getting all the nutrients the body requires for proper functioning, which will improve your energy levels and also improve your mood. Following a healthy routine means you are not consuming foods which contain high sugar that will affect your mood. And it means that your mode will not be affected and also improved with a healthy diet.
- Healthy body weight
Unhealthy food always affects your body weight because of accumulation of unwanted fat in the body. Maintaining healthy weight is essential for body health because it reduces the risk of chronic health issues because being overweight is the main factor for many diseases like heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. Healthy foods like vegetables, fruits and whole grains which contain low fat and calories and are rich in nutrients help in maintaining moderate weight. Avoiding processes in food and including dietary fibres help in maintaining good weight and prevent unnecessary accumulation of fat. It also promotes healthy growth of the body because it will help in providing all the necessary nutrients for healthy growth of the body.
- Better cardiovascular health
Following a healthy diet will limit consumption of saturated and trans fat, which is harmful to the heart as it will increase your blood cholesterol and may lead to coronary artery disease. Thus healthy food can help in reducing blood cholesterol, which means it can reduce the risks of having heart attack and strokes. Foods like leafy vegetables which are high in vitamin k and nitrates help in improving arterial functions and reduce blood pressure. And many studies stated that high intake of green vegetables and High-fiber foods are crucial for a healthy heart as it lowers the risk of heart diseases, strokes and obesity.
- Reduces risk of cancer
Antioxidants are essential for protecting cells from damaging and eating food which contains antioxidant help in reducing the risk of developing cancer cells. Carotenoids rich vegetables like carrot, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, apricot, mangoes, pumpkin etc are beneficial because they contain antioxidants that protect from diseases and enhance your immunity system. And also help in reducing cancer development.
There are a wide variety of healthy foods includes vegetables, whole grains, fruits, nuts and seeds
Vegetables which contain no calories and are rich in antioxidants are beneficial for health and cover all the different nutrients that are necessary for your health while choosing. Each type of vegetable is known as a source for distinct sets of nutrients. For example, spinach contains vitamin k, vitamin A, vitamin C magnesium, iron, calcium.
whole grains which contains fibres of low cholesterol level help in reducing the risk of heart diseases, cancers, diabetes, etc
Fruits which contain high levels of antioxidants are beneficial for health because they can protect from cell getting damaged and also reduces risk of heart diseases, cancer and other diseases.
Nuts and seeds are excellent sources for proteins and fibre along with healthy fats which help reduce risks of having diseases like heart disease, diabetes, etc. It can serve these as a healthy snack.
There are many disadvantages in consuming unhealthy food, but we can avoid such disadvantages and also enjoy the benefits of healthy foods. Unhealthy food which is of poor nutrition causes harmful effects on the body.
- Leads to obesity or being overweight.
- Leads to heart diseases and stroke.
- Increases risk of type-2 diabetes.
- Lead to some type of cancers
- Digestive problems
- Inadequate growth and development
- High blood pressure and cholesterol
- Memory and learning issues
- Risk of osteoporosis
- Poor health
Conclusion
Body condition totally depends on what you eat or drink and if you are not eating properly or eating and healthy food leads to improper development of your body and also leads risk of having life-threatening diseases. All the parts of the body need to work properly for good functioning of the overall body. If you avoid eating some nutrients which are also essential for particular body function, then it will also affect overall body health. So consume many nutrients which can enjoy all the benefits of a healthy diet. Along with what you eat you should also consider how you eat or when you eat because it will also affect the results. Last, it will help you in having a healthy, happy and long life..